Countries seek to end discrimination against gays

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A group of 11 countries called on U.N. member states to repeal laws that discriminate against gay, lesbian and transgender people, in the world organization's highest-level meeting on the issue ever.

"Those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender must enjoy the same human rights as everyone else," said the declaration of the LGBT Core Group, which includes the United States, Japan, Israel and eight European and Latin American nations.

"Advancing equality for LGBT persons isn't just the right thing to do," Secretary of State John Kerry said in his statement at the meeting. "It's also fundamental to advancing democracy and human rights."